Flying-machine bomb.



H. S. MAXIM. FLYING MACHINE BOMB. APPLICATION FILED FEB.18, 191s.

Patented Nov. 11, 1913.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE;

11mm srirvnns MAX-HE, or srnnn'rrmm, LONDON, nnennnn, nssrenon 'ro vrcxnns LIMITED, or wnsrivrmsrnn, ENGLAND.

Specification of Letters intent.

Patented not. 11, 1913.

Original application filed March 25, 1912, Serial no. 686,002. Divided and this application filed rem-nary 18,1913. Serial No. 749,289.

cation for Letters Patent Serial No. 686002 I filed March 25, 1912, and of which this application is a division, in which a detonating charge is Y retained in a position remote from the main charge until the bOIIi-briS dischar ed or released and in which'the bomb is f apted' to be exploded at a predeterm ned distance above or from the ground, object or target, by the initial impact of a pilot device adapted to precede the bomb in its travel toward the target so that the firing of the main charge may be brought about when the bomb is in the most favorable position for performing effective work. w 1

According to this invention the aforesaid pilot device is in connection or communication with the detonating charge by means of a fuse which may be of the instantaneous or other suitable type and is adapted to fire the fuse on impact with the ground, object or target The fuse may be so arranged that the c ntinuity thereof is interrupted until the bomb is released.

The shell or casinget the bomb may, in the usual manner lzi formed or provided with grooves with or without a loading of metal fragments or balls or the like having the interstices between the same filled with a high explosive so that destructive fragments or bodies are disseminated or spread by the explosion, the efiect of the latter being thus productlve of the desired destruction, in regard both life and buildings or erections. The height at which the explosion of the main char e will take place will depend upon the ength of the connection between the bomb and the pilot.

. In order that the said invention m w-31 3 clearly understood and readily carried into efiect I will proceed to describe the same, with reference to; the accompanying dra'w-. ings' in which Figure 1 is an proved bomb attached to the aeroplane or flying machine. Fig. .2 is a partial s ctional view of said bomb. Fig. '3 is a sectionalview ofthe tubular extension thereon show- 'ing the detonating charge and parachute.

Fig. 4 is an end view ofthe tubular extension. Fig. 5 is a diagrammatic view showin the position of the bomb when explosion ta es place. Fig. 6 is a detail view of the firing pin and means for securing the same in the inoperative position.

Referring to Figs. 1 to 5, the bomb comprises a shell or casing a which is provided with an internal hollow member a ,which extends beyond said casing to form va tall piece a and said tail piece is provided with a number of hinged members a which, when the .bomb is released, are adapted to extend in the same manner as an umbrella to constitute a parachute. Ifde'sired a a1itable"s-0- fabric or. the like may be arran ed on' or spread over the said members. he mem: bers 01* are hinged to the tail iece a? at'aand are retained in the close positlon by a band a carried by. the machine. One or more of the members a may be provided with an extension 0." which is adapted to enter a corresponding opening or aperture a formed in the tail piece a 'of the bomb. The extension a enters the ope the parachute is in the closed position, and serves to retain an auxiliary or detonating charge a at the extremity of the tail piece remotefrom the main charge of picric ac d or other high explosive contained in the space between the shell a and the internal hollow member 11 When the members a. are extended the auxiliary or detonating charge is ireeto move toward the main charge into the firing 'positiom e bomb is secured elevation showing the imso a when 90 to the framing b of the aeroplane or flying machine by means of a rod or bolt [2 which is adapted to engage with openings 72 formed in lugs 6 carried by the shell of the bomb. The bomb rests in saddle pieces I) on the framing b and by operating the lever or handle 6 the rod 6 may be released from the lugs b and the bomb liberated. Said lever Z2 is also adapted to operate another rod 6 so as to release the band a which normally retains the members a of the parachute in the inoperative position.

03 1s a fuse which may be of the type commonly known as instantaneous or very quick action. One end of the fuse d is secured in or to the bomb while the other end is connected with a pilot (1 which is detachably mounted on the forward extremity of the bomb. Two depending pins or arms (1", d are provided on the framing of the machine and serve respectively to retain the pilot 03 upon the bomb and to dam or cut ofl communication between the portions of the fuse in the pilot and in the bomb, and to retain the firing pin (i in the inoperative position. Thus in the event of the fuse d exterior of the bomb bein accidentally fired the fuse situate insi e the bomb will not be affected the eby. The pilot d. is provided with the firing pin .03 "adapted to project from its forward end or any other suitable part, the inner end being adapted to strike a primer or carridge d which then fires the fuse. The fuse d is formed in two lengths d, d secured together by a suitable coupling iece d andis continued to the rear end 0 the bomb through which rear end it passes to the detonating charge a in the tubular tail piece a of the bomb.- The depending pin or arm (1* enters'the forward end d of the bomb and passes through an opening in the coupling piece 08 in such a manner as to break the continuity of the fuse d excepting when the said pin or arm is withdrawn upon the release of the bomb from the machine. The arrangement, may, however, be such that the fuse exterior to the bomb is not in alinement with that in the interior of the bomb; the releasing of the bomb from the machine having the efiect of bringing the parts of the fuse into line for effective action. The fused is coiled up so as to be capable of stowage in the pilot d of the bomb, the construction of which is arranged in such a manner as to admit of such stowage. When the bomb is released from the machine the detonating charge a and the pilot d will gravitate to their extreme forward positions and so soon as the pilot reaches the object or target as shown in Fig. 5 the bomb will be exploded in the manner? described. A buffer is provided for cushioning the detonating charge a at the end of its forward movement and said bufl'er may comprise a number of rubber rings (1 arranged within the tubular chamber a of the bomb. The firing pin (1 pertaining to the pilot is impelled against the primer d by means of the springs d which are normally inclined to the vertical axis in such manner as to retain the firing in in the forward position remote fromt e primer. When the extremity of the firing pin strikes the ground or target, the pin is pushed back against the action of said springs (1 until it passes the neutral position, that is, when the axis of the springs 03 are in the vertical position. Further movement of the pin will cause the springs to be displaced from this neutral position in the opposite direction and the tendency is .for them to suddenly spring out and carry the pin against the primer. In this way, the springs d serve normally to retain the pin in the inoperative position, and after the initial displacement of the pin they serve to impel the same against the primer. If desired, the pin 03 may be retained bya pin or the like (2 (Fig. 6) which is adapted to be sheared when the bomb strikes the object or target.

What I claimand desire to secure by Letters Patent of the United States is 1. In a bomb for use with aeroplanes or flying machines the combination of a main charge of high explosive, a detonating charge capable of moving relatively to the main charge into the operative position during the descent of the bomb, a parachute for retarding the motion of the bomb during its'descent, a pilot device adapted to precede the bomb and an instantaneous or quick action fuse leading from said pilot device to the detonating charge.

2. In a bomb for use with aeroplanes and flying machines the combination of a main charge of high explosive, a detonating charge capable of moving relatively to the main charge, a parachute for retarding the -motion of the bomb during its descent, a

pilot device adapted to precede the bomb, an instantaneous or quick action fuse connected to the detonating charge and a firin means carried by said pilot device an adapted to ignite said fuse so as to explode the detonating and main charges.

3. In a bomb for use with aeroplanes or flying machines the combination of a main charge of high explosive, a detonating charge capable of moving relatively to the main charge, a parachute for retarding the motion of the bomb during its descent, a firing device which when the bomb is released assumes a position in advance thereof and an instantaneous or quick action fuse extending between the detonatin charge and the firing device and the contmuity of which is interrupted until the bomb is released.

4. In a bomb for use with aeroplanes or flying machines the combination of a main charge of high explosive, a detonating charge capable of moving relatively to the.

main charge, a parachute for retarding the motion of the bomb during its descent, a pilot device provided with a, spring controlled firing pin, a bi-part instantaneous or quick action fuse extending between the detonating charge and the pilot device, a coupling for the two parts of said fuse and 10 

